Historical Keepsake Photo: Tennessee GOP Staffer Emails Racist Obama "Spook" Photo

UPDATE: A former aide to ex-Vice President Dick Cheney said on CNN Wednesday morning that Sherri Goforth should be fired for emailing a racist photo to colleagues.

Racism cannot be tolerated for those who have the public trust. This individual said that 'I sent it to the wrong person.' Well, she needs to be looking for a new job, she needs to be fired. It's a poor reflection on her institution that she works in in the state Senate in Tennessee, and a poor reflection on her member. ... Racism has to be stamped out. That's why I said this staffer needs to go. And I think the appropriate course of action would be for this staffer to be dismissed.

Watch, via ThinkProgress:

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Sherri Goforth, an executive assistant for Tennessee State Rep. Diane Black (R-Gallatin), sent this picture out to other legislative staffers:

The email was headlined "Historical Keepsake Photo."

One staffer who received the email publicized it online:

I talked to my local rep, Mark Maddox about it, and described the picture to him at a recent fund raising event. I think he was as appalled as I was. I was going to post it last week but there was a death in my family and I had to think about it.

Because it made me mad.

But, you know, people need to know that this stuff is going on. I would be just as angry if a democratic staffer had sent it.

Dammit, Tennessee, haven't we moved past this kind of crap. I'm serious.

Goforth admitted to sending the email, but she apologized only for sending it to the wrong people.

"I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button," Goforth said. "I'm very sick about it, and it's one of those things I can't change or take back."

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Comments

[blueintennessee]

The email went out on May 28th. It went to Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey's five staffers, all the GOP Senate staffers in TN, and 33 house GOP staffers. Nothing was done about it. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey is running for TN Governor in 2010. His inaction shows he condones racism. What a great candidate for the GOP to have.

[diogenes1967]

How many times have I written on a thread like this "just when you think the Republicans can't stoop any lower". The Repubs go RIGHT ahead and stoop lower. (sigh!)

[1088]

What do you expect? Rush and Fox News has been inciting hate against our President every day. The Republicant party use any tactics to prove their points. The President and First Lady Michelle are used as target on every blog for them to spew their hate. I've read words that describe Mrs. Obama that should be insulting to any woman. but they get away with it, because the First family is black.

[MrAngryPants]

FIRE HER.

[DC]

Is she fired yet?

[craphappens]

The sad thing about it, she still doesn't understand that what she did was racist. It's just her, as well as millions of others, way of life. They think nothing of putting people down because of the color of their skin. I've found that more people are racist than I believed. And, if indeed, Obama could cure the country of it's ills, it still wouldn't matter, people would hate him just because of the color of his skin.

[restoretheroar]

yes. firing is in order. if you can't respect the man you have to respect the title. jokes sometimes are not funny.

[Kenji]

Goforth, and DON"T multiply.

[Bluejay00234]

Well now you can't fire everyone in your party now can you.

[barbwiregrrl]

The sad part is I don't think anyone is "surprised" that this email exisited or that it is connected to the G O P.

[nonlocal]

Her number is Goforth, Sherri Republican Caucus Chair/Senate 5 LP 741-1100 ext. 44782. Sorry, don't have area code

[hilary916]

"I'm very sick about it, and it's one of those things I can't change or take back."

Yeah, she's sick about it all right....m­ore like sick about it cause she's probably going to lose her job.

[SusanStoHelit]

She could try taking it back with a true apology - one that actually apologizes for finding racism funny and sending it to any list.

[bibb]

The fact that the staffer admits that there were "right' people to send this email to speaks volumes about the amount of racist people in that party that apparently share these attitudes.

They can get rid of this staffer, but the problem will remain.

[neocon666]

I never thought I'd ever agree with Ron Christie, but unfortunately the GOP will give his suggestion all of the consideration that they give Michael Steele's.

[Olampean]

It's possible that this phenomena of southern white folks, still yet in this year 2009, who are unable to restrain themselves from making totally lame jokes about Americans of African and other dark-skinned ancestries is a marker of human behavior that begs a full-out scientific investigation.

In addition to their inability to process basic empirical information, the symptoms include the need to put down others and to project their own psychological inadequacies onto others.

Clearly, these people are deranged, more than likely from some major regressive genetics, perhaps from inbreeding, that have caused these behavioral modes to survive even into these modern times.

[Gatorboy]

Really? You think this is a southern phenomena?

You should probably get out more and check out the rest of the planet. Racism is a worldwide issue, my friend.

[Olampean]

It's a joke, my good man.

However, I take your point. It is not limited to the southern states of America.

However, there are a large number of southerners who feel very proud to be direct descendents of Jefferson Davis - several times.

(Another joke, if it needs to be pointed out.)

[Exit]

The Tennessee GOP did racist stuff during the 2008 campaign. They are not going to stop now. The whole state is racist even the Tennessee Democrats.